After shave lotions applied to the skin, particularly those containing fragrances are well known in the art. Typically after shave lotions are alcohol/water based systems used for fragrance presentation and while they may be applied at any time, are frequently applied after shaving; thus, the nomenclature. For the present discussion, after shave lotion means alcoholic lotions applied to the skin at any time in order to obtain desirable cosmetic characteristics.
After shave lotions typically contain significant levels of alcohol, typically from about 50% to about 90% ethanol, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,761,278, Lewis et al., issued Aug. 2, 1988 and U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,599, Minetti, issued Jul. 19, 1988; both herein incorporated herein by reference. While such lotions provide a cooling effect and skin tightening feeling, they also cause stinging and burning of skin, particularly skin having been shaved with a razor blade. Furthermore, such lotions have little or no skin moisturization properties.
Alternatively, the level of alcohol in skin lotions have been reduced to mitigate stinging and burning. U.S. Pat No. 4,279,891, Henkel et al., issued Jul. 21, 1981 discloses clear after shave lotions containing from about 15% to about 20% ethanol and additional components such as water, perfume, propylene glycol and ethoxylated alcohol and betaine surfactant perfume solubilizer. Solubilization of perfumes in low ethanol ethanol/water based systems is disclosed in The HLB System, ICI Americas Incorporated, May 1992; incorporated herein by reference. These lotions, however, do not provide the user with positive skin feel attributes due to ingredients such emulsifiers added in order to keep the perfume from separating from the low ethanol/water system.
Alcoholic after shave lotions containing ingredients to off-set the negative effects of high levels of alcohol are known in the art. U.S. Pat. No. 4,758,599, Minetti, issued Jul. 19, 1988 discloses hydro-alcoholic after shave lotions providing moisturization and protection from infection while mitigating skin irritation. Said compositions disclosed therein combine from about 50% to 90% lower alcohols; niacinamide, a commonly known vasodilator; sodium lactate, a moisturizer; quarernuim 26, an emollient; and water.
Moisturizers are commonly used in cosmetic compositions for skin care benefits. Such moisturizers are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,139,784, Claudelli, issued Aug. 18, 1992, and U.S. Pat. No. 4,690,774, Nanba et al., issued Sep. 1, 1987; both incorporated herein by reference. These patents disclose emulsions or thickened liquids lotions for topical application that provide humectancy or moisturization to the skin. Consumers using such moisturizing lotions, however, experience cosmetic negatives during application, such as tackiness, and after dry down, such as residue left on the skin.
Anti-inflamatory agents are known for use in lotions for reduction of skin irritation. It has been reported that panthenol in combination with zinc oxide provides an acceleration of superficial wound healing (see H. Weise et al., Acceleration of Superficial Wound Healing by Panthenol Zinc Oxide, Cosmetics and Toiletries, Vol. 103, pp. 79-84, October 1988). Combinations of panthenol and salicylic acid are also known for use in skin care compositions, particularly anti-acne products as disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,015,470, Gibson, issued May 14, 1991 discloses topical lotions for skin or hair growth containing salicylic acid and panthenol. Panthenol alone is known for use in a number of cosmetic compositions including after shave lotions to reduce skin irritation.
It is believed that skin irritation reported in said references differs than the immediate sting and burn caused by application of an alcoholic lotions to the face. The application of alcoholic based products to the skin, particularly freshly shaven skin, produces immediate sting and burn, often referred to as a "bite". Despite the teachings in these references, panthenol is not known to eliminate or significantly mitigate bite.
Moisturizing emollients are known in the art for use in cosmetic compositions. One group of such moisturizing emollients known in the art are acyl lactylates; see F. Baiocchi et al., Use of Acyl Lactylates in Cosmetics and Toiletries, Cosmetics and Perfumery, September 1975. Acyl lactylate are anionic surface-active agents prepared from naturally occurring raw materials, fatty acids, and lactic acid normally found in skin tissue. They are typical used in cosmetics as emulsifiers, opacifiers, viscosity builders, skin feel modifiers, and moisturizing agents, however, are not known to have a singificant effect on stinging and burning of skin when applied in an alcoholic lotion.
The present invention is for alcoholic after shave lotion which effectively mitigate or eliminate stinging or burning and provide effective moisturization of the skin without compromising good cosmetic feel on the skin. The combination of moisturizing emollient and anti-inflammatory agent in alcoholic lotions provides unexpected relief from burning and stinging of the skin.